Plant Microbial Fuel Cell Integrated Façade Living Wall System
E. Blicharz (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
Olga Ioannou – Mentor (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
A.A.J.F. van den Dobbelsteen – Mentor (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
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Abstract
Rapid global urbanisation and climate change put significant pressure on centralised water and energy infrastructures. This thesis investigates regenerative design principles to transform building envelopes from passive resource consumers into active, ecologically functional habitats. The study presents the development of a multifunctional Plant Microbial Fuel Cell (PMFC) Integrated Façade Living Wall system intended to establish decentralised, circular water and energy flows. To assess practical feasibility, the design is applied to public housing blocks managed by Singapore’s Housing and Development Board, taking advantage of the region’s supportive sustainable building policies and tropical climate.
Experimental research was conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed system. Designed prototypes were evaluated in terms of wastewater treatment efficiency (including oxidation rate, total suspended solids, and nutrient removal rates), energy generation capacity (including open and closed-circuit voltage, current, current density, power and power density), and overall plant health. The findings confirm that the integrated system functions effectively as an on-site biofilter, demonstrating reductions in suspended solids and nutrients in the supplied substrate. The energy-generation performance was successfully established, but the total power density remained low compared to conventional renewable energy technologies. Lastly, it was found that integrating PMFC technology benefits plant growth in both leaf and root growth.
Beyond the technical performance, this thesis highlights the broader environmental benefits of the system. The integration of the Plant Microbial Fuel Cell Integrated Façade Living Wall system contributes to urban heat island mitigation, improved air quality, noise reduction, and enhanced biodiversity, while also supporting human well-being. While further optimisation and evaluation are required, the system demonstrates potential as a circular, multifunctional strategy to improve environmental performance in dense urban contexts.